


What Is Home (Baby Don't Hurt Me)

by belizafryler



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Curse, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, New Adults!Swanfire, Romantic Fluff, Swanfire - Freeform, minor nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-16 05:55:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18088703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belizafryler/pseuds/belizafryler
Summary: After they've aged out of the foster care system, Emma and Neal discuss what their plans are.





	What Is Home (Baby Don't Hurt Me)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thatssous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatssous/gifts).



When Neal held her, something happened. Emma, bless her heart, had never felt like home was more than a dream of a place. She didn’t think it was something that had more than four walls and a roof over your head— but even then, that didn’t always make a home. A home had people there too.

People who knew you, and kept up with all your drama, and still wanted you. Emma Swan had never had someone like that. She’d gone on the run from too many foster care houses, too many systems had failed her before for her to trust them now. Then she met Neal Cassidy.

Neal Cassidy was also a fighter. He didn’t give two shits about anyone but himself and — miraculously, her. Neal was brave and fierce and, somehow, safe, and he cared about her. Emma, the ugly duckling, had never had that before him. 

They didn’t talk much about their past, but really, why would they? Neal was a foster kid, same as her, only he remembered his mum and dad. Poor Neal had had a tough life. But Emma didn’t care, she found that only made him softer when it came to her.

At first, Emma had worried that their relationship was meant for nothing save friendship, but then Neal kissed her, and Emma knew she’d found a home. Home wasn’t always four walls and a roof, sometimes it was four limbs and two eyes and a heart that beat only for you.

“Where will we live?” Emma wanted to know, tangled in sheets with Neal. She’d turned eighteen the week before, and officially aged out of the system. He’d aged out a few months before her, but he’d waited. He’d waited for her, and Emma knew she’d never been more in love.

“Pick a place. I’ll get us there,” Neal’s voice was raspy like he’d just woken from a deep sleep. He rolled over, facing Emma and brushing a lock of her golden hair out of her face. “I’ll take you all over the world if that’s what you want Em.”

“Mmm, right now I don’t want anything but to be with you.” Emma professed, her eyes soft as she reached over to kiss him. “We could live in New York, we could live in Maine.. I don’t care. As long as we’re together.” She told him.

“Hmm. Let’s see,” He wrapped a blanket around himself, standing up and getting out of bed, much to Emma’s dismay. Their map of the United States was laying around on the dresser. He grabbed it, smirking, “Close your eyes Ems. Pick a place, and point and that’s where we’ll live.”

Emma grinned, “Are you serious? What if I picked somewhere really cold? Like Antarctica or something.” She protested, though she inched closer to the end of the bed where he sat.

“You won’t. Trust me. Pick your poison, Swan.” Neal encouraged her, grinning an unrepentant smile at her.

Emma hesitated again, but after an encouraging nudge, she took a breath, closed her eyes, and pointed at the map.

“Florida. Tallahassee, it seems.” Neal read off the map. “You landed right smack dab on the capital.” he gave her a quick kiss before turning the map to its rightful place.

“So we’re moving to Florida?” Emma asked in disbelief. “What about all your jobs, what about….” She cut off quickly when he placed a finger on her lips.

“I can get jobs anywhere, Swan. And in Florida, no one’s gonna think twice about us being orphans.” Neal pointed out. He gave her a wicked grin, “We could do anything we wanted! Come on, you know you want to road trip.” he insisted.

“We’ll get lots of food, save up a bit of money before we go. It’ll be fine, Ems. Do you trust me?” Neal asked.

“More than anything.” Emma assured him, reaching out to place her hand on his chest and kiss him softly. “Let’s move to Florida then.” she nodded. He grinned.

“Let’s move to Florida.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first foray into Swanfire but I'm open to being prompted or asked to make this fic into a series. :~)
> 
> P.S. If you enjoyed my work, please consider donating to my ko-fi.   
> https://ko-fi.com/victoryveins


End file.
